California Rangeland Trust
PROGRAMS
Conserving the Land
The people who steward our state's working landscapes are at the heart of everything we do at the California Rangeland Trust. Our community is filled with passionate rangeland supporters as well as ranching families who have spent generations developing environmentally friendly initiatives that promote a healthier planet. These ranchers have chosen to partner with the Rangeland Trust to ensure that their land can continue to provide important resources like nutritious food, clean air, fresh water, and healthy soils that benefit their local communities and beyond. Some ranchers choose to sell their development rights to the Rangeland Trust for conservation, which usually results in greater investment in habitat and business enhancements. Some others may seek to donate their development rights to the organization. However, the costs for completing these conservation projects can be preventative. Our Conservation Investment Fund provides gap funding to defray project closing expenses when a little extra help is needed to get over the finish line and ensure our rangelands remain viable for generations to come. This Fund allows the Rangeland Trust to do what is needed, when it is needed, to protect our working landscapes. And every time you support rangeland conservation, your gift continues to grow and give back. Every dollar you invest through the Rangeland Trust is returned threefold in benefits such as clean air, fresh water, and wildfire fuels reduction. Conserving rangeland is a smart investment, especially as we look for ways to protect our environment and ensure a healthier future.
The California Rangeland Trust has witnessed profound success through the power of community in an ongoing effort to conserve more rangelands across the state. The first example of this impact was demonstrated in 2018 when Rock Front Ranch became the first project in our history to be entirely funded by community support. Over 200 individuals and family foundations rallied to raise the $500,000 to ensure that this land could remain in perpetuity. It was a powerful example of how big of an impact we can make when we come together for a shared cause. We were moved once again in 2020 by such collective efforts. In the midst of many unprecedented challenges, we witnessed over 100 supporters rise to the challenge to make conserving the Bloom Ranch a reality. These supporters were made up of urban and rural audiences, and hailed from both ranching and environmental backgrounds, proving once again that strong community ties begin with the land. In 2021, $100,000 was raised in a single night to conserve the Bufford Ranch, and 150 donors from across California gave more than $350,000 toward conserving the historic Spanish Ranch in 2022. There is more work to be done. Through the power of community, even more stories like these will be possible in the future. Be part of what comes next!
Supporting Wildlife
Did you know that 67% of endangered species spend all or part of their lives on private rangeland? What’s good for livestock is good for wildlife. Ranching requires a strong environmental philosophy, balanced management practices, humane treatment of livestock, and careful stewardship of the land and its resources. Before ranchers introduced domesticated cattle to the American West, millions of bison roamed the plains. Many protected species continue to rely on grazing for their grassland habitats. Grazing creates a mosaic pattern in the grasses, essential to the habitats of animals such as ground-nesting birds and the California tiger salamander. Grazing promotes biodiversity in the soil, causing the growth of wildflowers such as the Johnny Jump-Up, which the calippe silverspot butterfly needs to flourish. Grazing eliminates weeds and plants seeds, facilitating native plants and grasses and reducing the invasive shrubs that pose a significant fire hazard in California’s dry climate. There are dozens of examples that demonstrate how managed grazing is an essential part of a healthy ecosystem. California’s ranchers are ardent conservationists because their livelihoods depend on healthy rangelands to sustain their livestock and remain viable for the next generation. We have learned that what is good for ranches is good for the environment—and that includes the habitats of sensitive species.
In 2022, almost 8,000 acres were conserved through the Rangeland Trust thanks to generous community support, federal and state agency grants, military partnerships, and collaborations with mitigators seeking to offset environmental impacts. Protected forever on those acres are 700+ acres of Oak Woodland, 9 miles of freshwater streams, and habitat for 42 species of special interest (endangered or threatened).
Supporting Ranchers
In 2023 we hired our first Programs Manager to coordinate educational offerings and resources connections for ranchers in our network. These activities are coordinated with peer organizations and professionals to bring quality information to both our partners and our broader ranching community. Anything that helps ranchers stay in ranching as the stewards of our lands, as well as create community networks and provide valuable information whether people are new to ranching or the 6th generation. Content ranges from resources for regenerative agriculture, to family succession planning, and much more.
Educating and enabling California's ranchers to develop alternative strategies to stay in ranching and remain as stewards of our working lands. These efforts create community and disseminate critical information to ranchers allowing them to continue to steward the land, provide local jobs and domestic food supply while also preserving the Western lifestyle.
CONTACT
California Rangeland Trust
1225 H St
Sacramento, CA 95814-1910
Steve Blank
Phone: 6164442096